Taking in the Outside Cat

OK. If anyone has been reading this group for a long time, you will think I
am just gabbing and not serious.

SO, for those willing to listen, let's assume I have learned a WHOLE lot
over the last few years. IF I had realized what I now know, a lot would
have turned out differently.

BUT. I am going to start with NOW and hope I can get some thoughtful
advice. Keeping in mind, I might actually be able to accept and TAKE the
advice you might have given me a couple years ago about the mother of the
kitty I am now asking about.

So as you can tell, it started a while ago. AND to make it even more
complicated for me personally, I had 'captured' this kitty as a kitten, then
let her go. (Don't ask....I didn't *get* a lot I now get about patience
with kitties...)

Forgetting the past, the bottom line is this. I have a girl outside that I
have been feeding since she was a kitten (2 years ago). She has a little
house there and lets me rub her neck before I feed her 2 X each day. Last
year, I trapped her and had her spayed. She was terrrified of me in my
garage when I kept her there overnight, acted like she'd never known me...

So anyway. Last spring, I adopted a kitty now named Sam, who still won't
let me touch her. I keep thinking about Georgie, and loving the dear
girl,.... as winter approaches, and I've learned that one can have a cat
that is not so good with human contact (Sam was feral for 1 year), I am
wondering if Georgie couldn't live 20 years if I brought her inside.

SO. HOW? (Again, please understand that when I'd asked the same advice
about Georgie's mom a couple years ago, I didn't KNOW I did not have the
gumption to DO it. NOW, I think I could, IF I could figure out how...)

I KNOW I would need to trap her to get her inside. Then I would need to get
her tested for all things again, since all testing was over a year ago. I
guess my real question is .. IS this a good thing for her? Will she noit
adjust to the in the house thing, with the 3 other cats? Right now her
situation is... she has a cat house right outside my back door. She gets
fed 2 X per day. She gets petted daily, brieflly.

Will she adjust to hangin' inside with the other 3 kitties? All of whom
have "known" her through the screem door for a few years.

I guess it's because of having Sam, and knowing it's ok to have a kitty that
is hiding constantly, and won't let me touch her, (all a result of being
feral, I think), that makes me think I am nuts not to bring Georgie in....
God this is a hard thing to figure out. I go out of town a lot, and live
alone, so .. that's another factor...

Thoughts appreciated...

PattyC

PS. To see the outside girl, check out... Georgie... I was able to have all
3 of her kittens adopted...
http://community.webshots.com/user/pattyc4303